music

MUSIC HISTORY 10TH GRADE COURSE – REQUIRED

This course is required for all 10th grade students who are not continuing their study of visual arts or a second language.

MUSIC HISTORY Semester I, half credit

This half-credit course is one component of the 10th grade Humanities course. The primary aim of this course is to introduce students to major developments in Western music. As a component of the Humanities program, this course will coordinate with the History Department’s chronological survey of European culture, the Art Department’s survey of Western Art, and the English Department’s survey of Western Literature. Western music will be studied in the context of moral, political, and philosophical principles of each period in Western history, and the survey will take students from Gregorian Chant, through Medieval, Renaissance,

Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern music, all the way to contemporary music and jazz. The course will also introduce students to the fundamental elements of music to enable students to listen to and discuss music (whether it be classical music or pop music of their choice) critically and analytically.

MUSIC ELECTIVE AP MUSIC THEORY (RPCS)

This yearlong course is offered to the student who has achieved a mastery of basic music theory skills. We build on the fundamentals of music theory: note names and clefs, rhythm and meter, major and minor scales, intervals, and triads. This course will cover four-part harmony, figured bass notation, scales and modes, moducations, cadences, and form. Listening to and analyzing major works are integral components of this course as well as ear training and sight-singing.